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PROCEEDINGS AT A DINNER 

GIVEN AT 

The Lincoln House in Worcester, 

ON 

Wednesday, November 3D, 1897, 

TO 

FRANKLIN P'^^ICE, 

IN 

Recognition of Work Accomplished in the Development 

OF 

SYSTEMATIC HISTORY. 



.4* * ">J 1-^ <J 




THE DINNER. 

For some time previous to the completion of the work 
of editing and printing the Worcester Records, it had been 
felt by certain friends of Mr. Rice and by others who were 
interested in record preservation, that the occasion would 
merit special notice, and that some formal recognition of 
the service rendered, of the magnitude of the undertaking, 
and of its influence as a pioneer and practical example in 
this line, would be proper. While Mr. Rice fully acquiesced 
in this view, he desired that the occasion might be passed 
over with as little ceremony as would be consistent with 
propriety, and he indicated the form most agreeable to him. 
It was, under the circumstances, thought best that he should 
have the direction of the plan and details of the affair, and 
all arrangements were made in accordance with this under- 
standing. The Lincoln House in Worcester was selected 
as the place, and Wednesday, November 3d, 1897, ^t half- 
past one o'clock in the afternoon, was the time fixed for 
the gathering. The company assembled included Mr. Fred 
L. Hutchins, President of The Worcester Society of An- 
tiquity ; Mayor A. B. R. Sprague ; Robert T. Swan, Esq., 
Commissioner of Public Records of the Commonwealth ; 
Mr. Samuel S. Green, Librarian of the Worcester Free 
Public Library ; Dr. George S. Adams of Westborough ; 
Mr, Samuel E, Staples, Founder of The Worcester Society 
of Antiquity; Mr. Edmund M. Barton, Librarian of the 
American Antiquarian Society; Mr. Francis E. Blake of 
the New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston ; 
Messrs. John C. Otis, William F. Abbot and Franklin P. 
Rice ; and Mr. George Maynard, stenographer. 

A full report of the exercises which followed the excel- 
lent dinner is contained in the following pages. 



Stenographically Reported by George Maynard. 



REMARKS OF PRESIDENT HUTCHINS. 

I congratulate myself that I am permitted, during the 
period of my administration of the affairs of The Worces- 
ter Society of Antiquity, to see the completion of that 
work which has carried its name across the continent, and 
I account it a very great pleasure to join with you in some 
slight recognition of the service of our friend upon my 
right. 

He has been the prime mover and sole executor of this 
truly important undertaking, which he has pursued under 
trying circumstances, with an unflagging zeal for absolute 
accuracy and typographical perfection. 

It is his plodding industry and painstaking care which 
have given us these nine volumes of Worcester's Proprie- 
tary, Court, and Town Records. 

Let us consider for a moment what this work signifies, 
— not alone that this mass of well-indexed information is 
accessible to all who desire to consult it, not alone that 
these Records are found in both public and private libraries 
throughout the country, but what is far more important 
to us, that the absolute safety of these early Records of 
Worcester, under the proprietary and town governments, 
is now assured ; no mutilation or destruction, either mali- 
cious or accidental, is now possible. 

So it is eminently proper that some fitting notice be 
taken of the completion of this work, which, in justice to 
truth, it must be stated, lacks a few pages of the Records 
and the index of the last volume, but through difficulties 



in arranging for this meeting later, it was thought best 
not to await the completion of this small portion. 

So it is well that this comprehensive work, more com- 
prehensive, perhaps, than any other single example in the 
State, should be appreciated by the Society whose chief 
renown comes from having its name upon the title-pages of 
these volumes ; by the City whose records are thus pre- 
served ; by the State in which it was the pioneer example 
and now stands as one for others to emulate ; and by those 
who have been otherwise benefitted. 

Mr. Rice, with characteristic modesty, shrank from any 
formal public testimonial, but recognizing the propriety 
of taking some notice of this mile-stone in Record work, 
and being assured, by those who knew something of his 
work and sacrifice, that some demonstration would be 
made, he consented to this form with the condition that 
he be allowed to direct it. 

And so, gentlemen, we are here to extend congratula- 
tions. First you, Mr. Rice, are to be congratulated in 
that the inception of the plan was a new departure, in that 
its carrying out has been so faithful under all the discour- 
agements incident thereto, and last, but not least, upon 
the perfectness and typographical beauty of your work. 

We all await, with eagerness, your story of its inception 
and growth. 



ADDRESS OF FRANKLIN P. RICE. 

Mr. President, Mr. Mayor, attd Friends : 

The completion of an undertaking which has required 
the labor of several years, and the exertion of such ability 
and energy as I possess, is an event which cannot be con- 
templated with indifference. Nor, perhaps, can it be 
characterized in ordinary terms. I trust, therefore, that I 
shall be pardoned in the expression of whatever may savor 
of elation or self-gratulation at the successful outcome of a 
long-cherished purpose, and that due allowance will be 
made, as my remarks proceed, in consideration of the 
difficulty experienced by anyone in the attempt to de- 
scribe his relation to an enterprise in which he has borne 
the principal or the sole part, without exhibition of more 
or less of what might seem to be egotism. 

The example presented in the publication of the Worces- 
ter Records, is, so far as my knowledge extends, the first 
and at present the only one, in which the records of the 
whole period of proprietary and town governments of a 
place, together with all the recorded births, marriages and 
deaths within that time, have been put in print. 

The idea, now becoming general, of reproducing town 
and other similar records in their minutiae, was not only 
new, but in this particular instance original, when I began. 
There were two or three sporadic cases of earlier date, but 
of these I did not know at the time. 

Vanity, which can be easily gratified, and often at 
another's expense, was not an inducing element in this 



8 

work. There is sufficient proof in the statement which 
will follow, that, if at any time during the progress of the 
undertaking, moderate expectations of pecuniary reward 
were entertained, they were soon extinguished by the logic 
of facts. Antiquarian taste did not prevail ; and with eight 
lines of ancestry in this country too easily followed back 
to the period 1629 to 1640, I felt little or no enthusiasm 
in genealogical research. With these disclaimers the main 
purpose should be distinctly stated. Briefly, it was to 
make the original sources of history accessible and avail- 
able for use, in accordance with a plan formed many years 
ago. 

The idea was very simple. If we could know all the 
elementary facts, then we could begin to know history, 
and not until then. History has been and is being written 
from too few premises, and it is the rule rather than the 
exception that the elaborate theory and logical conclusion 
are overturned by the later bringing to light of facts un- 
known to the ambitious narrator. Evidently the time to 
%vvitc history is not in the immediate future ; the pre- 
liminary work of accumulation and classification remains 
in large measure to be done, and to the drudgery involved 
in the performance of this service we, of the present gen- 
eration, ought cheerfully to submit. And so I wanted to 
see all the original material brought together in system in 
public and central depositories, so that in a few minutes a 
question could be settled, which, scattered and inaccessi- 
ble as so many facts now are, cannot certainly be deter- 
mined. Another great advantage would be the assurance 
as to the existence or non-existence of desired information. 

The real philosophy of history cannot be attained so 
long as the sources of information remain undeveloped, 
and in historical as in other scientific investigation, the 



effort now is to reach the obscure yet fundamental elements 
which constitute the substance of the whole. The immense 
mass of material in New England in the form of town, 
county and other records, most of it hidden and unknown, 
presented a rich mine to explore, and one from which the 
most valuable and satisfactory results might be expected ; 
and it was with the idea, at first crude and imperfectly 
formed, of subjecting this material to minute classification, 
that I entered into the work. I cannot take time now to 
make an elaborate statement, or to detail the several 
changes in method from the preparation of a general refer- 
ence key to a stated locality, an index of selected subjects, 
or abstracts of certain periods, until, finally, the determina- 
tion was reached to print the original in its entirety, with- 
out abridgment. It is enough to say that I regarded the 
matter in its practical and scientific aspects, and, after the 
plan expanded and developed, I originated and applied 
the name SYSTEMATIC HISTORY to the accumulated re- 
sults, a term which is now coming into use. That I have 
not been able to accomplish as much as I expected, so far as 
extent of territory covered is concerned, is admitted; but 
human endeavor is so often restricted that this confession 
is not an exceptional one. 

There were subordinate reasons which influenced me. 
The desire to do something for the Commonwealth and for 
the City, and to identify myself with it; and later, the 
purpose to gain a special reputation for The Worcester 
Society of Antiquity for practical work. Selfish motives 
operated to the extent that in all this I was doing what I 
wanted to do. 

My interest in, and investigation of these matters began 
in 1869, and during the next few years I collected con- 
siderable material which has since proved useful. In 1873 
2 



lO 

I set up a press for book printing, as this seemed to be 
the only way in which to reach a tangible result, the 
charges for producing this kind of work in regular offices 
being at that time appalling and far beyond my slender 
means. My first attempts were only in part worthy of 
preservation, and most of the material has been worked 
over. 

One November day in 1 869 I was pleasantly accosted by 
a gentleman with whom I was afterwards intimately asso- 
ciated ; and in this accidental, and, at that time, appar- 
ently insignificant circumstance, was the germ of The 
Worcester Society of Antiquity. Mr. Staples manifested 
an interest in my work, and comprehended its plan with 
certain definite ideas of his own in the project for a society, 
which we discussed a great deal for two or three years. 
The matter was probably finally determined by a visit we 
paid to the old Mechanic Street Burial Ground in October, 
1874, after its upheaval had been suggested; and on that 
memorable 23d day of January, 1875, the first meeting 
of the new Society was held. 

I was induced to cooperate in this movement by the not 
very strong hope that such an association as was proposed 
would sustain and carry forward the work which then 
seemed too formidable for single effort. This expectation 
was doomed to ultimate disappointment, but the desired 
result has, to some extent, been realized in a different way. 

After a period of doubtful consideration, the Society was 
quickened to action by the advent of Clark Jillson, and 
under his able direction the first publication was issued, to 
be very soon followed by the second, which contained the 
Burial Inscriptions. With this encouraging example and 
outlook, I proceeded in the preparation of the first book 
of Worcester Town Records, some assistance in the copy- 



II 

ing and indexing — all that I ever received — being given by- 
two interested members. But this was brought to a stand- 
still when it was found that the debt contracted by the 
Society in the printing of the last publication could not be 
paid. This literally put a bar to further Proceedings. As 
I remember, this was the general impression ; I, for one, 
accepted the situation, and for a time turned my attention 
in another direction, and even abandoned the thought of 
Record publication in connection with the Society. At this 
juncture Judge Jillson divulged his intention of insuring the 
publication of the yearly Proceedings by affording such 
assistance as might be needed until the affairs of the 
Society would warrant it in going forward ; and we all 
remember how faithfully this assurance was fulfilled. 

To what extent or in what manner this circumstance 
operated in reviving the Record publication, I will not 
assert. The fact is significant that the first book was 
within a few months issued from the press, and this was 
followed in quick succession by the second book, the 
Proprietors' Book, the Revolutionary Records, and the 
Records of the County Court of General Sessions from 
1 73 1 to 1737. These volumes were published in ten 
parts under the seal of the Society, which received seventy- 
five copies of each part for its exchange list free of ex- 
pense. Four years and three months were spent in their 
production, and the lowest estimated cost was $4,300. 
With one exception no direct assistance was given the 
work in money, but members and others subscribed for 
copies at a nominal price, an investment which has paid 
more than compound interest, for the numbers were very 
soon in demand at two or three times the price originally 
paid, and the editions were exhausted. The total amount 
which I received, including four hundred dollars' worth 



12 

purchased by the City, was $986. At this point, publica- 
tion was suspended for obvious reasons, but with the firm 
intention to resume under circumstances more favorable 
in a pecuniary way. 

During the next three months I prepared and published 
a book on my own account which returned me $400. With 
this sum I began to copy the Records of the Inter-Charter 
period, at the State House in Boston, with the intention of 
including them with the Collections of The Worcester 
Society of Antiquity ; but this project encountered remon- 
strances in certain quarters of such a nature that I aban- 
doned it after some progress had been made. About this 
time I prepared a plan and suggested the passage of an 
Act by the Legislature to require the printing of their 
records by the towns in the State in such yearly portions 
as would not be burdensome until all to the year 1850 
were printed. This, in 1884, was premature.* 

I want to say a word here to forestall criticism to the 
effect that this work had been pursued thus far with a 
degree of enthusiasm which common wisdom would not 
justify nor business principles maintain. I know that the 
performance of such service is sometimes, in consequence, 
followed by neglect of the common proprieties as well as 
evasion of the more serious responsibilities of life. Deeply 
as I was interested I did not forget the duty I owed to 
society and to myself. John Randolph's injunction, "Pay 
as you go," was always in mind, and if this undertaking 
had interfered with other obligations I should at once have 



*The objection to this plan advanced by Mr. Swan — that forcing 
action through legislative power would result in many cases in 
throwing the preparation into incompetent hands — is, I think, a 
valid one. 



13 

abandoned it. I had other resources with which to sus- 
tain it; and, of course, a different pecuniary result was 
anticipated. One thing made the task easy: the close 
and cordial feeling and unity of purpose which animated 
the Society during this period. 

At the time that the printing of the Worcester Town 
Records was resumed, in 1889, with the intention of com- 
pleting the work to 1848, I had what I considered satis- 
factory assurances that at least seventy-five per cent, of 
the cost would be provided, and I felt willing to assume 
the remaining twenty-five per cent., as a portion of the 
edition would remain in my hands to be sold. The esti- 
mate presented for the consideration of the City Council 
in asking for appropriations to the amount of a nominal 
half of the expense, assumed that the remaining Town 
Records from 1784 to 1848, together with the Births and 
Marriages from the earliest recorded to the last named 
year, could be included in five printed volumes of three 
hundred pages each, the City Council to vote the money 
in five annual instalments, a volume of Records to be issued 
each year. This arrangement was carried out, the several 
City governments from 1889 to 1893 cordially responding, 
but so much more matter than was estimated had to be 
printed that a volume could not be completed within a 
year. This plan was adopted because, after consultation 
with the City Finance Committee, it was thought doubtful 
if even this amount would be voted ; and further, in order 
that the Society might publish the volumes, which it would 
not be allowed to do if the City could by any means be 
induced to defray the whole expense. Of the three hun- 
dred copies printed, one hundred were for the use of the 
City, and eighty copies were to supply the exchange list 
of the Society ; and as the latter had received the benefit 



H 

of the first series of these Records, it was thought just and 
proper that it should contribute something towards the 
cost of the later volumes. As the Society had at that time 
no funds, it was understood that a special canvass of the 
members was to be made, and also, that certain interested 
citizens were to be applied to for direct money assistance ; 
and, as I have said, with these assurances I felt safe in 
going forward. I could not foresee the difficulties which 
afterwards developed in consequence of the unexpected 
proportions of the matter to be printed, and of the suddenly 
assumed hostile attitude in a quarter from which, in view 
of the greatly increased labor and expense to be incurred 
under the new conditions, the most helpful encouragement 
should have emanated. 

As the work progressed it developed that a serious mis- 
take had been made in calculating the amount of matter 
the manuscript would make, the difference in the hand- 
writings not being apparent at first glance. Furthermore, 
so many deficiencies were discovered among the Births 
that I voluntarily made a thorough revision by which over 
eleven hundred names not on the town books were sup- 
plied, and many errors corrected. In addition to this, it 
was thought that the recorded Deaths from 1826 to 1848, 
should be included in an appendix, all of which was done 
at the editor's expense. As the result, instead of 1,500 
pages in the five volumes, there are 2,133, or consider- 
ably more than one-third increase. Perhaps if this fact 
had been properly appreciated, the efforts to unduly has- 
ten the undertaking, so unreasonably persisted in, would 
have ceased. This interference only had the tendency to 
induce a state of distraction in the editor's mind, when he 
needed all his powers to overcome the difficulties in the 
work itself. Notwithstanding: these troubles I made little 



15 

complaint, and I felt that I was in honor bound to com- 
plete the volumes under the arrangement. 

Before work on the first volume had progressed very far, 
Mr. Salisbury's offer to the Society of a building lot was 
made, and on its acceptance he supplemented it with a 
gift of $5,000. All the energies of the Society were now 
properly directed to the purpose of erecting a building ; 
and, as it was thought that efforts in soliciting subscriptions 
for the Record work would interfere with raising money 
for the structure, I, at the request of the building fund 
committee, acquiesced in the abandonment of that part of 
the plan for the time being, although by so doing I was 
assuming a serious responsibility. I was told that I would 
be helped in one way or another after the building was 
assured, and I proceeded with the printing as rapidly as 
possible. After the fact transpired that the first volume 
would be largely increased over the estimate, the necessity 
of some assistance became apparent. A room which it 
was proposed to devote to the publication work had, with- 
out suggestion or solicitation on my part, been included in 
the plan of the building; and, of this, after serious con- 
sideration, I accepted a lease for five years, which was 
unanimously voted by the Society upon the recommenda- 
tion of a committee which had been appointed to confer 
with me. The members of this committee were to under- 
take the raising of a specified sum yearly for four years. 
This and the use of the room were to be considered as so 
much assistance towards the reduction of the large deficit 
which was to be met. These conditions have, it is well 
known, been fulfilled only in part. During the present 
year the energetic efforts of President Hutchins and Messrs. 
John C. Otis and William F. Abbot, have resulted in the 
carrying out, in greatly reduced measure, of the original 
intention. 



i6 

In going to the building I was influenced largely by the 
advice of prominent members of the Society, who esteemed 
it a great advantage to the association to have its publica- 
tion work conducted on its own premises. That they were 
not alone in this opinion is attested by the fact that about 
this time I received proposals from two other Worcester 
institutions to enter into similar connections, but my place 
was with The Worcester Societj* of Antiquit\'. Another 
strong inducement was in the opportunitj" which it then 
seemed was about to open to greatly expand the work of 
printing original material under the auspices of the Society. 
This was embodied in a proposition to undertake the 
preparation and printing of the Probate Files of Worcester 
County, — not in the form of a simple index to leading 
names, to which the publication now in process by the 
Count)' Commissioners will be confined, and which, I am 
convinced, will in course of time, with the advance of sen- 
timent and a clear understanding of the subject, prove 
inadequate and unsatisfactory ; but in comprehensive ab- 
stracts of the wills and estates, giving the names of all 
parties concerned, with other necessary particulars — a com- 
pilation intended to relieve the investigator of nine-tenths 
of the labor of research now necessar\'. This project came 
about in a manner that was, in itself, proof of confidence 
in the power and perseverance to carry it successfully 
through, and means to sustain its execution were to be 
forthcoming as needed. Of course, this implied the assist- 
ance of additional hands, and a modification of former 
methods, and in contemplation of this I began to fit up 
the room at the new building. But instead of expanding, 
I was compelled, by the train of singular circumstances 
that followed, to contract ; and, after a period during which 
the printing of the Worcester Records was suspended, in 



17 

doubt whether to issue them further as Societ}' publica- 
tions, to carry them on independently elsewhere, or to 
abandon them altogether, the work was resumed with a 
somewhat limping gait, and has proceeded to the end.* 

I do not intend, Mr. President, with the tangible proof 
before us that all adverse conditions attending the produc- 
tion of these nine volumes have been overcome, to enter 
into a recital of the strange occurrences which took place 
after the removal of the Society^ to its new quarters. The 
frantic demonstrations which seemed to have for their 
object the sinking of identity, and obliteration of all 
memory of former purposes and methods ; and the violent 
attempts to disrupt the ties which had previously bound 
the members together in a common interest, although 
firmly resisted by a solid phalanx, could not but have 
their elTect upon this undertaking. Probably the sacrifice 
of the Record work was hardly considered in comparison 
with the field of enticing possibilities in other directions 
which an ecstatic vision presented. Notwithstanding this 
serious crisis the Worcester Records are in print. 



*The purpose to compile and publish the Probate Records 
was entertained for several years, but the difficulties to be over- 
come in the printing of the Worcester Records, the long financial 
depression, and the distrust felt by members and others who were 
interested in practical work in regard to the future policy of the 
Society, prevented any approach to a realization of this project 
until the year 1S97. At that time, so rapidly had public sentiment 
advanced, it was found that the County Commissioners had au- 
thorized the printing of an index to the Probate Files. It was, 
therefore, decided to apply the means offered to the development 
of other material. The possibilities of this movement with the 
aid of the Systematic Historj' Fund can at present only be con- 
jectured. 
3 



i8 

In other quarters where the most cordial and intelHgent 
cooperation should have been given I was met by queru- 
lous criticism, and a disposition to obstruct or to stop the 
progress of the work, in attempts at interference which, 
had they not been resisted, would have seriously disar- 
ranged my plans, and subjected me to additional expense 
and trouble; as the only instance in which I, through 
courtesy, yielded, fully proved. Time is an essential ele- 
ment in matters of this kind if accuracy and completeness 
are desired ; but haste in production was insisted by those 
who forgot that they had neither proprietary right nor 
supervisory control. I properly refused to increase the 
stock of Brummagem wares in this line, and kept the tenor 
of my way as best I could under circumstances which were 
at times particularly irritating and depressing. 

Probably the most serious difficulty with which I had 
to contend was in the endeavor to keep on good terms 
with myself; and here the proverb, He that ruleth his 
spirit is better than he that taketh a city, applies. I can- 
not claim a large share of that magnanimity which belongs 
to a great soul, and, undoubtedly, there were times when, 
if I had been left to myself, I should have brought the 
undertaking to a sudden stop. I never for a second 
doubted my ability or strength of purpose to carry it to a 
successful termination if I only considered the amount of 
labor, the length of time, or the financial difficulties, singly 
or combined ; for these could be surmounted. But when, 
in addition, I had to meet indifference, neglect and hos- 
tility, unaccountable, resolution and courage could not 
always be relied on. Wise counsel, which impressed not 
only the importance of completing the work, but also the 
inportance of completing it in the Society's name, fortu- 
nately prevailed. I speak of all these things because they 



19 

had a powerful efifect in delaying progress, and in adding 
many figures to the wrong side of the balance sheet ; and 
also because no true account could be given if mention of 
them were omitted. 

Of the friends of this enterprise I cannot say too much, 
but I must content myself with a very inadequate acknowl- 
edgment of their great kindness, encouragement, and sub- 
stantial aid. Foremost was Clark Jillson, whose loyal 
support, unqualified commendation, and firm defence in 
times of emergency, are fully appreciated now that he has 
passed into the hereafter. His contributions to the pub- 
lication work of the Society amount to a very large sum, 
and, undoubtedly, saved the institution from dissolution. 
Of the late Honorable Stephen Salisbury a pleasant mem- 
ory remains. His genuine interest in these, the annals of 
his native town, was, more than once, unmistakably mani- 
fested.* The uniform courtesy and ample generosity with 
which the several applications in behalf of the second series 
of the Records have been received by his son and succes- 
sor, the present Mr. Salisbury, I will not enlarge upon in 
any Worcester gathering. His attendance here to-day 
would have greatly increased my satisfaction, and I regret 



* In justice to truth I will say that this was not in the way of 
direct pecuniary assistance to the Record work, which Mr. Salis- 
bury would have given if it had been requested. I did not solicit 
aid in this way for the first series, which comprised four volumes 
and included the Proprietary and Court Records, and the Town 
Records from 1722 to 1783. Mr. Salisbury and Mr. Curtis each 
purchased several copies of two of these volumes. What I par- 
ticularly remember was Mr, Salisbury's intelligent and broad- 
minded view of the work. To the second series of the Records 
the present Mr. Salisbury subscribed seventy-five dollars for each 
of the five volumes. 



20 



that an important business matter has interfered to prevent 
it. Another good friend in the early times was our ven- 
erated townsman, Albert Curtis. I am indebted to Doctor 
Charles L. Nichols, Henry P. Upham of St. Paul, Minne- 
sota, William H. Sawyer, Francis E. Blake of Boston, and 
Herbert Wesby, for large direct contributions ; also to John 
C. Otis and William F. Abbot, for their more than friendly, 
and partially successful, exertions to carry out the inten- 
tion of the committee of 1891. To all others who have 
in any way encouraged, approved or assisted the under- 
taking I now express my heartfelt appreciation. Last, 
but not least, the earnest efforts of President Hutchins to 
efface unpleasant memories, and the more material assist- 
ance he has afforded, deserve my sincere thanks. 

And now a few words about the printed Records. They 
are comprised in nine volumes, one containing the Pro- 
prietary Records from 1667 to 1788, with all the plans; 
six the Town Records from 1722 to 1848 ; one the Births, 
Marriages and Deaths ; and one the Records of the Court 
of General Sessions of the Peace during the first seven 
years of the County organization. Combined they make 
3,425 pages. With the exception before mentioned, all 
the copying, indexing, and printing has been done by my 
hands, and every page has passed through the press under 
my supervision as editor. As to the quality of the work 
I will not affirm. I have never held to the utterly imprac- 
ticable notion that in the percentage of purity in our lives 
or of perfection in our works we can attain the full 100. 
But accuracy has been the chief consideration in the pro- 
duction of these books, whatever degree of success may 
have been realized, and this accounts in part for the large 
deficit. About ten years' labor has been given to the work, 
but the first part appeared nearly twenty years ago. 



21 



In regard to the financial part, it seems to me that it is 
sufficient to say that this undertaking has been carried 
out, as the result before you shows. But a promise has 
been exacted that I would make a statement of the cost, 
and of the amount which I have received in return. In 
making this statement I use the figures of the Commissioner 
of Public Records, given in his second report published in 
1890, the example being the first volume of Dedham 
Records, edited by Don Gleason Hill, Esq. This book 
contains 286 pages, and the total cost of making copy, 
index, comparing proof, editing, and printing one thousand 
copies was $964. Reducing this to pages gives $3.37 as 
the cost per page. Allowing for the difference between 
one thousand and three hundred copies, the last being the 
number of the Worcester Records printed, which is the 
cost of paper and press-work of seven hundred copies, we 
have $3.06 per page ; and 3,425 pages give, with $400 
additional for engraving, etc., the total cost of these nine 
volumes of Worcester Records: $10,880.50. 

I have received : from sales of first series, $986 ; from 
the City appropriations in aid of second series, $2,500; 
direct contributions, $950; sales, second series, $383; 
allowed for room in Society's building, (say) $500. Total: 

$5,319. 

Several causes contributed to this result, some of which 
I have detailed. An aversion on my part to the task of 
raising money by solicitation (from which I feel that I 
should have been relieved), and the long business and 
financial depression, were others. 

My interest in the development of Systematic History 
is as strong as ever, and I hope to be able to exert my 
efforts still further in this direction, to add something to 
what has already been accomplished. 



22 

And now, Mr. President and Mr. Mayor, with the words 
of another I will close : 

"No honor or reward, however great, can be equal to 
that subtle satisfaction that a man feels when he can point 
to his work and say, ' See, now, the task I promised you 
to perform with all loyalty and honesty, with might and 
main, to the utmost of my ability, and God willing, is to- 
day finished ! Say, is it well and truly done?' And when 
the employer shall confess that ' it is well and truly done,' 
can there be any recompense higher than that to one's 
inward self ? " 



MAYOR SPRAGUE, 

who was obliged to leave the company early on account 
of important public business, said that he would authorize 
Mr. Samuel S. Green, the librarian of the Free Public 
Library, to express for him his congratulations and hearty 
appreciation of the Record work, in behalf of the City of 
Worcester. 



Mr. Hutchins: — This meeting has been called for 
congratulations, and certainly the great Commonwealth of 
Massachusetts is to be congratulated upon the amount of 
Record work that has been done in it since this under- 
taking was started. The interest in this matter is evidenced 
by the presence here of the Massachusetts Commissioner 
of Public Records, Robert T. Swan, Esq., whom I now 
have the pleasure of introducing. 



23 



RECORD COMMISSIONER SWAN. 

M7\ President and Gentlemen : 

It is a great pleasure and satisfaction to be here, and to 
add my testimony to that of others who have known of 
this work of Mr. Rice. 

I should almost hesitate to say anything before a com- 
pany of gentlemen who are older than myself in these 
matters, were it not that in the position I now hold I have 
had occasion to visit the town and city headquarters, and 
to see the records and the officers, and to see the interest 
and the lack of interest pervading the various places. My 
office has become a sort of clearing-house for these mat- 
ters, and people come to me for advice. It brings in 
experts like Mr. Rice, who come and bring me informa- 
tion that I am glad to disseminate. And I am sure that 
in relation to this edition of records, there is nothing supe- 
rior, and, I think, nothing equal in the extent which it 
covers. As Mr. Rice says, it is hard to say just when it 
commenced, but I think there can be no doubt that it was 
the first of its kind. The work shows careful editing. 

Some of the town records have been printed, and these 
range all the way through good, bad and indifferent. Many 
of them had better never have been printed, and the best 
of them fall short of what should have been done. If you 
take up these records you will find that one editor begins 
with the religious life of the town, and another with the 
military. 

But a person taking up records like these reads between 
the lines, and sees the history for himself as he goes along. 
This kind of work is the only sure foundation to go upon. 
The great mistake in publishing town records is in looking 



24 

upon it as a business enterprise. I get many inquiries 
about the price of copying records. I usually reply that 
the copying of a single word is often worth more than the 
cost of a page. Since I have come here I have had inti- 
mation of other contemplated work in this line. I hope 
that it will not be done at present, until we have trained 
people to be experts. An expert must not only be a man 
who can decipher the ancient chirography, but he must 
be familiar with the early terms used in the records. A 
man to be an expert must be one who does not think he 
knows it all. I have cut out from one of my reports some 
entertaining remarks from one of the other kind. Speak- 
ing of some ancient records he had copied, he says: "In 
justice to myself, I could not copy such bad spelling. I 
have, therefore, corrected, tJiroughoiU the whole, the bad 
language iti these records, and I have in many instances, 
abridged the records.'' [The italics are mine.] To author- 
ize a man to make such a record as that, is a piece of in- 
excusable folly. 

Now in regard to these particular volumes, perhaps I 
can appreciate one of them at least, more than you, gen- 
tlemen, possibly can. And that is the record of Births, 
Marriages and Deaths. There is a bill now before the 
General Court to provide for supplying the deficiencies in 
such records; but Mr. Rice anticipated any bill of this 
kind, and has done what others would have been glad to 
do. I think the great amount of labor which he has done 
can be appreciated only by those who have had experience 
in this line of work. It entitles him to the gratitude of 
everyone who shall find their names in these volumes. 

I have said that experts were necessary, but an expert 
must have something more than mere ability. He must 
have his heart in his work. Mr. Rice has never faltered 



25 

in his undertaking, but has carried it through, and has 
made a monument to his name which will last for all time. 
I think there is a large field in the Commonwealth for Mr. 
Rice. I have not wanted the towns to do this work them- 
selves, because in some cases they do it so poorly. 



Mr. Hutchins : — Wherever our Records go through 
the country, in all the great libraries of the land, they are 
examples of Worcester's handiwork. The librarian of our 
Free Public Library, Mr. Samuel Swett Green, is widely 
known by his interest in these matters. We shall be glad 
to hear from Mr. Green. 

CITY LIBRARIAN GREEN. 

Mr. President: 

I am sure that everybody in the City, who knows any- 
thing about this kind of work, feels grateful to Mr. Rice 
for the great amount of disinterested labor which he has 
performed. And I know that we all feel proud when the 
Commissioner of Public Records, who has common cogni- 
zance of such things, says, in a hearty and unreserved 
manner, that this work is of the highest excellence, and 
that it has set an example to the towns of the Common- 
wealth. 

I find that I have unwittingly been helping along the 
work of Mr. Swan. I find that I have often to go to dif- 
ferent towns to make suggestions as to how this and simi- 
lar work can be better done. And almost invariably I 
have to make the suggestion that everything bearing upon 
the subject shall be gathered for the public library, and 
that all materials in manuscript shall be carefully preserved. 
4 



26 

The reports of institutions and societies should be collected, 
and the library should be made the centre where all the 
materials for the history of the town shall be preserved. 
Thus they can have a collection which it will be necessary 
for anyone to consult if he wants to know anything about 
the history of that town. The first thing is to collect the 
material. Mr. Swan and Mr. Rice have been putting it in 
permanent form, so that it will never be destroyed. 

It is very interesting to see what changes have been 
taking place in the methods of studying history in this 
country. Everyone now wants the original materials of 
history, and it is of the utmost importance that such mate- 
rials as town records be preserved. Therefore they should 
be properly arranged, so that you can find out anything 
you wish about the history of the town. 

It seems to me that a great influence has been exerted 
by the Johns Hopkins University. The purpose there 
appears to have been to have the pupils go back to the 
original sources of history. There seems to have been a 
great amount of interest excited in this work. 

Now, supposing that anyone wants to know anything 
about the police department or the fire department in any 
town, or the support of the paupers there. How can any 
accurate information be obtained unless we refer to the 
town records, and how unlikely we are to find it, even then, 
unless they are put into print. You all realize that there 
is no better way of awakening interest in the study of his- 
tory in general than through local history. Supposing 
you are interested to find all you can about one of your 
ancestors. You find out all about what he did in the 
Revolution ; and then you are led to get a general view of 
that part of our history. And it is so in regard to any 
portion of the history of our country, or that of France or 



27 

England. Any man is doing a great work who makes it 
comparatively easy for the people of a town to make in- 
vestigations in the history of that town, not only in insur- 
ing a better position of our own history, but in awakening 
interest which will lead to a broader interest in the history 
of the state and of the country. And it pleases me very 
much to notice that the officers in different educational 
institutions are of this mind. I find that where students 
of Harvard University are studying American History, 
they are very soon set to making these investigations, and 
a student coming from a certain town is given something 
to investigate about his native town — perhaps, for instance, 
it may be about the water-works of that town. And, gen- 
erally speaking, I could hardly tell you how many of the 
students of Harvard College have come to me to ask for 
assistance in looking up the history of this town. And it 
is very certain that in this way they get up an interest in 
the history of the town, and also of other places ; and thus 
it is, that work like this of Mr. Rice is of the greatest ser- 
vice to any town. 

I should be very sorry indeed if there was not more of 
this work done. With the excellence of this work that 
Mr. Rice can do, it seems to me that he ought to be em- 
ployed during the rest of his life. There is still a large 
field left in Worcester and Worcester County, and it would 
seem that with a little exertion on the part of his friends, 
he might be employed all the time. He ought to be well 
paid. He ought to have liberal payment for all he does. 
I hope sincerely that he will be kept at work. He is an 
expert whose services should be worth a great deal. 



28 

Mr. Hutchins : —Mr. Rice has spoken of his regret at 
not having Mr. SaHsbury here, but he has sent a letter. 
Letters from others who take a deep interest in this work 
have also been received, and these I will now read. 

LETTERS. 

From HON. STEPHEN SALISBURY, 

President of the American Antiquarian Society, Worcester. 

Worcester, October 30, 1897. 
Franklin P. Rice, Esq., 

My dear sir: — I regret very much not to be able to accept 
your kind invitation to dine on November 3d, more particularly 
because I shall lose an opportunity for highly commending your 
work as shown in the nine volumes of Worcester Records which 
you have published so accurately and in so readable a form. The 
nearly four thousand printed pages show how much labor was 
required in their preparation, when the damaged and imperfect 
state of some of the original Records is borne in mind, especially 
when compared page by page, copy with original. 

When we remember that the work represents nearly ten years 
of labor and that not more than half the value of the time occu- 
pied was paid for, we can realize the debt which citizens of 
Worcester owe for this unremunerated service. The pioneer 
work was undertaken in 1873 and since that time has been fol- 
lowed in other places. This and much more should be stated 
when considering this well executed and public-spirited work. 

Sincerely yours, 

Stephen Salisbury. 



From HON. SAMUEL A. GREEN, M. D., 

Librarian of the Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston. 
My dear Mr. Rice : 

I am glad to learn that the work of printing the Worcester 
Records is nearly completed. I know by experience that such 
undertakings never pay from a money point of view, but your 



29 

reward comes from knowing that it is a good thing for the City 
of Worcester, and that future antiquarians and historians will ap- 
preciate the work. The series of publications which you have 
edited with so much care will be an enduring monument to your 
industry and zeal. I am led to make these reflections from know- 
ing how little the average citizen of any town cares for the critical 
labors of historical scholars, among whom I rank yourself. 
Very truly yours, 

Samuel A. Green. 



From JAMES F. D. GARFIELD, ESQ., 

Secretary of the Fitchburg Historical Society. 

I am glad to know that the printing of these Records is so 
nearly completed. I have been interested in watching the progress 
of their publication, and as the several volumes have appeared 
have noticed with pleasure the painstaking care and accuracy 
with which the work has been carried forward. 

The increased interest in the preservation of municipal records, 
owing to the many losses by fire and the ravages of time, has 
resulted in the printing of more than one hundred volumes in 
various towns of New England, and nearly all of these have ap- 
peared since you commenced the publication of the Worcester 
Records. No doubt your example has largely influenced the 
publication of records in other places. Indeed it was a suggestion 
made by you which led to action by the Fitchburg Historical 
Society which resulted in the printing of the Fitchburg and 
Lunenburg Records. Yours very truly, 

James F. D. Garfield. 
Franklin P. Rice, Esq. 

From RICHARD O'FLYNN, ESQ., 
One of the original members of The Worcester Society of Antiquity. 
My dear Mr. Rice : 

Comparatively few of our citizens are aware of the splendid 
and lasting service you have rendered the City in rescuing from 



30 

possible destruction or decay the early Records of the Town. I 
do not hesitate to say that there is not another man in our City 
better qualified to undertake the work, which requires patience, 
perseverance, and a knowledge of ancient orthography — qualifi- 
cations which your work abundantly proves that you possess. 

You were a pioneer in the field, and led in the path which so 
many are now following. Yours very truly, 

Richard O'Flynn. 

Mr. HutchinS: — Mr. Don Gleason Hill, of Dedham, 
expected to be here, but found yesterday that it would be 
impossible for him to come. He says in his letter, how- 
ever, that he hopes some other occasion will occur, and 
he will make it a point to attend and give his testimony 
to the value of the work. 

I may mention the fact that the four men who started 
The Worcester Society of Antiquity are all still alive ; and 
we have with us to-day the one who coneived the idea of 
it. I have no doubt he will be glad to say something on 
this occasion. I refer to Mr. Staples. 

MR. SAMUEL E. STAPLES. 

Mr. President and Gefitlemen : 

I hardly think it should be necessary for me to say 
anything. We all are proud of what has been accom- 
plished. I feel that it is an honor to have been one of the 
original members of The Worcester Society of Antiquity. 
I have always taken a deep interest in the welfare of that 
Society. I am especially gratified that the early Records 
of Worcester are in print, and safe from all danger. It is 
a pleasure to belong to such a Society. I am glad to 
express to Mr. Rice my thanks for what he has done, and 
hope he may be permitted to do much more like work. 



31 

Mr. Hutchins : — The Worcester Society of Antiquity 
is under deep indebtedness to Mr. Barton, the Hbrarian of 
the American Antiquarian Society, who is present with us. 
I will now call upon Mr. Barton. 

MR. EDMUND M. BARTON. 

Mr. President and Gentlemefi : 

I wish to say that Mr. Rice's work has merited much 
from us, on account of the conscientious manner in which 
he has performed it. And this remark applies not only to 
his larger productions, but also to the lesser works which 
in a similar way are of use to every student. His Dictionary 
of Worcester is a production of that kind. His work has 
been done quietly, without noise. Worcester is a city 
not much given to foghorn music or bugle-playing, — a 
city in which workingmen go quietly to their labors. 

I have been more than thirty years in my line of busi- 
ness at the American Antiquarian Society's rooms, and 
ever since I have known Mr, Rice it has been a great 
pleasure to have him come there, as it is to have all the 
members of the local Society. Whether Mr. Rice has 
been engaged in his special pursuits, or on other matters, 
we have been pleased to have him in our building. I 
always think that we are in some degree responsible for 
Mr. Rice's work. 

I simply rise for the purpose of extending my congratu- 
lations personally. I feel proud of all the good work that 
is done in Worcester, but I know of nothing which has 
given me more satisfaction than that which Mr. Rice has 
done. I have always felt that typographically he bears 
the name of Franklin well. 



32 



MR. JOHN C. OTIS, 

was introduced, and said : I must ask to be excused from 
making any remarks, owing to the lateness of the hour, 
but my presence here is sufficient evidence of my interest 
in this work. 



Mr. Hutchins: — Mr. Francis E. Blake, of the New 
England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, has proved 
his interest in this work in the past and by coming here 
to-day. I will call upon him for remarks. 

MR. FRANCIS E. BLAKE. 

Mi\ Cliairman : 

It is too late to detain you. I can only state that 
among the publications most in demand in the historical 
libraries, most assuredly these works of Mr. Rice are 
looked upon as the very best. I have admired one thing in 
Mr. Rice, — and I want to use a word which is not, perhaps, 
in the dictionary, — his stick-to-it-ivcncss. He has had the 
grit to carry the work through under great difficulties ; 
and I am glad if at any time I have been able to render 
him any assistance. As for Mr. Rice, I don't know but 
that he would like to go all over it again. 

I came here with very peculiar feelings to-day. I hardly 
knew whether it was to be a wake or a wedding. I believe 
I have never been to the former, but I have always under- 
stood that it was customary to have something inspiring 
on such occasions. And if this is a wake, it is certainly 
one of the inspiring kind. If this work of Mr. Rice is 
completed, we may know that it lives forever, from the 



33 

spreading of the printed copies ; and we trust that further 
inspiration may come to him, and that he may go on do- 
ing this kind of work in the future, and that he may have 
a sufficient encouragement for his toil. 



Mr. Hutcphns : — There is one gentleman here who has 
been quite close to Mr. Rice in all these years, and who 
knows the difficulties under which he has labored. I have 
no doubt that he would be glad to add his testimony to 
what has been said. I will call upon Mr. Abbot. 

MR. WILLIAM F. ABBOT. 

Mr. President and Gentlemen : 

This is a very happy occasion to me, to know that 
my friend, Mr. Rice, has at last come to the end of his 
great work. It has been my privilege to become quite well 
acquainted with Mr. Rice, and the difficulties which have 
come in his way. I think that there can hardly be too 
much said of his stick-to-it-ivencss . 

I know that Mr. Rice has at times felt very despondent; 
but he has persevered. That is the kind of pluck and 
spirit I admire very much. He has done a work which, 
if it could be done in the other towns and cities in this 
State, would be of inestimable value in the future. There 
are places in the State, particularly in Essex County, 
where such work is greatly needed. I have been here in 
this city so long that Worcester history becomes interest- 
ing to me ; and I am glad to know that my children, who 
are natives of this place, will have its history well pre- 
served if they wish to consult it. 
5 



34 

I do wish to congratulate Mr. Rice most heartily on the 
completion of this work, which has occupied his mind 
and his heart so long, and which will make everyone who 
wishes to look up points in the history of Worcester his 
debtor for all time. 



Mr. Hutchins : — I hope an influence will go out from 
this meeting that will encourage this kind of work, and I 
hope that Mr. Rice will be properly reimbursed for future 
labors in which he may engage. The trouble with us is, 
that we cannot find words to rightly characterize the mag- 
nificent work which he has done. I suppose Mr. Rice will 
like to say a few more words. 

Mr. Rice feelingly expressed his appreciation of the 
kind words which had been said, and thanked the gentle- 
men for their presence. The company separated with the 
feeling that the affair had been a great success in regard 
to its influence upon future record work. 



noi4 1 1 f ^^4 



\4 



